Singletrack Forum » Topic: The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike
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njee20 on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490535
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 15:42:13 +0000njee205490535@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>Christ no, there's enough stories about altercations with cars - it has the opposite effect - it calms things and makes even the most road-rage addled driver placid. Improves road surfaces too. And makes you more attractive to the opposite sex.
</p>bokonon on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490512
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 15:34:48 +0000bokonon5490512@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>More importantly, does 11 speed make the roads come alive?
</p>njee20 on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490497
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 15:31:06 +0000njee205490497@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>Don't! Makes changing gear a pleasure! And that's interchangeable between 10 and 11 speed, so nicely future proof!
</p>asterix on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490479
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 15:25:32 +0000asterix5490479@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>you're probably right but I haven't even tried that yet
</p>njee20 on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490474
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 15:24:00 +0000njee205490474@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>Di2/EPS is a minimum if you race <img src="http://singletrackworld.com/forum/my-plugins/bbcode-buttons/default/icon_wink.gif" title=";-)" class="bb_smilies" alt=""/> </p>asterix on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490463
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 15:20:08 +0000asterix5490463@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>I guess everyone has their own bling/performance/cost/happiness ratios</p>
<p>Up until recently mine has been roughly at 105/XT level, but I rode an 11-speed Athena bike recently and the gear shifts were really amazingly fast and sharp in comparison (even though I am not keen on the thumbshifters). If you do race then there are points when you (well I) can't find enough time to shift with some systems
</p>njee20 on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490448
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 15:14:53 +0000njee205490448@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>But that's not it, is it. It makes the bike feel nicer to ride, and as the OP is buying new and questioning whether to set out with technology which is about to be made obsolete, vs something that's just emerging, the answer isn't really "go 8 speed Sora". </p>
<p>It's typical of the forum though: 'should I get a, b, or c', 'personally I think f is better'.</p>
<p>I agree that there are more important things to buy, but he's not said "I could buy some nice wheels, or go 11 speed".
</p>Mostly Balanced on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490435
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 15:10:38 +0000Mostly Balanced5490435@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p><blockquote>If you're happy with 8 speed Sora/Ultegra whatever then good for you, why are you contributing to this discussion!? </blockquote></p>
<p>I was trying to make the point that beyond a certain level returns diminish and buying bling won't make you a better rider. In my opinion there are far better things to spend money on than adding one or two gears to your bike.
</p>campkoala on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490432
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 15:10:04 +0000campkoala5490432@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>There's only one person looking for pointless arguments here.<br />
Try reading the thread title question and original post.
</p>njee20 on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490381
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 14:55:51 +0000njee205490381@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>It was me 'hounding' campkoala, looking for some logic in his daft post.</p>
<p><blockquote>How do you define 'good'?</blockquote></p>
<p>Well I'd put Sora at entry level. It will change gear, as does a Sturmey Archer, but few folk on here are riding around with SA hubs!</p>
<p>This is a really pointless argument, there is a performance difference between groupsets. If you're happy with 8 speed Sora/Ultegra whatever then good for you, why are you contributing to this discussion!? There are no questions on here that can't be stifled with "why aren't you just riding a £50 Apollo bike?".
</p>Mostly Balanced on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490343
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 14:42:30 +0000Mostly Balanced5490343@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p><blockquote>asterix - Member<br />
it is a bit of a silly argument, there isn't an 8-speed system that is anywhere near as good as a new 11-speed set up like Campag Record or Sram Red ( I havent ridden the Shimano version yet). If you haven't tried a those then you are missing out even though they are ridiculously expensive </p>
<p></blockquote></p>
<p>How do you define 'good'?<br />
My 2x8 Sora set up has 4 gears I regularly use, 4 I occasionally use and another 8 combinations that are never used. If I want to change gear I push a lever and it changes and has done so for the last 7 years with the same cables and only one change of chain. I'll admit that I have other bikes I ride on wet days but what is not 'good' about that?
</p>campkoala on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490273
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 14:28:08 +0000campkoala5490273@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>No, not you dude, I agree with you. </p>
<p>(although 8speed still wins for lack of maintenance)
</p>asterix on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490212
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 14:13:52 +0000asterix5490212@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>Hey campkoala, no hounding from me - if it felt like that to you, then sorry.
</p>campkoala on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490192
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 14:09:11 +0000campkoala5490192@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>Having the correct gear to give you your optimum cadence in all situations and having a bike on a level playing ground to your competitors may be *fairly* important in competition. Otherwise, not so much.. </p>
<p>What I find peculiar is changing what I said to suit your argument and hounding me for a response to something I haven't said..<br />
.<br />
Is it really this hard to accept anothers opinion?
</p>brooess on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5490053
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:38:01 +0000brooess5490053@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>There's no such gear as the wrong gear on my summer road bike (11sp Athena) - no gaps between ratios.<br />
But then again, you can say the same about my singlespeed commuter <img src="http://singletrackworld.com/forum/my-plugins/bbcode-buttons/default/icon_smile.gif" title=":-)" class="bb_smilies" alt=""/> </p>Edric 64 on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5489995
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:23:29 +0000Edric 645489995@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>7 speed sora triple sti on one cross bike .I dont want to break expensive levers when I crash and my touring bike has down tube 9 speed shifters as they are hard to break .I dont want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with a buggered sti
</p>cookeaa on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike/page/2#post-5489980
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 13:19:21 +0000cookeaa5489980@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p><blockquote>well I am successfully running a 10-speed 105 rear mech with 9-speed tiagra shifters and a 9-speed ultegra cassette and chain, if that helps? So I think the rear mechs just move by the amount they are pulled by the shifters.</blockquote></p>
<p>Thanks for that, not really answering my question though... </p>
<p>My rather specific question was; is a shiney new <strong>11 speed ultegra 6800</strong> backwards compatible with 10/9/8 speed? </p>
<p>I'm fully aware of the various other shimano cross compatibilities between 10/9/8 speed Road and 8/9 speed MTB parts, I have taken advantage of these things myself in the past. </p>
<p>Shimano have already demonstrated form for changing cable pull ratio when they introduced <em>"Dynasys"</em> to the MTB market, so it's not such a stupid question...
</p>asterix on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike#post-5489831
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 12:39:34 +0000asterix5489831@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>it is a bit of a silly argument, there isn't an 8-speed system that is anywhere near as good as a new 11-speed set up like Campag Record or Sram Red ( I havent ridden the Shimano version yet). If you haven't tried a those then you are missing out even though they are ridiculously expensive
</p>njee20 on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike#post-5489824
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 12:38:52 +0000njee205489824@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p><blockquote>well I am successfully running a 10-speed 105 rear mech with 9-speed tiagra shifters and a 9-speed ultegra cassette and chain, if that helps? So I think the rear mechs just move by the amount they are pulled by the shifters.</p>
<p>However, I did hear that the pull ratios for the brakes changed at some point as the shifters and groupsets were upgraded (e.g. from 6600, to 6700 to 6800), but how true that is I am not sure. </blockquote></p>
<p>Correct - rear mechs are cross compatible on road only. 10 speed MTB is different. Front mech and brake pull changed slightly on the groupsets with hidden cables (7900, 5700, 6700), however they will still work to an extent, brakes can either feel a bit wooden or spongey.
</p>njee20 on "The right time to go 11 speed on a road bike?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-right-time-to-go-11-speed-on-a-road-bike#post-5489812
Wed, 06 Nov 2013 12:35:06 +0000njee205489812@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p><blockquote>250g durable cassettes and steel free hubs for me, I'm no ladyboy</blockquote></p>
<p>What a peculiar comment. It's ok, I really don't worry about you, just find comments like "unless you're racing, 8 speed is fine". What makes 8 speed unsuitable for racing, or more than 8 speed unsuitable for anything else? You didn't answer that first time round. Why have gears?</p>
<p><blockquote><br />
I'm very fond of my 8 speed Sora. Smooth as silk every time. </blockquote></p>
<p>Having just replaced the entire transmission on my 9 speed Tiagra set up it's ok, but no better than that! Not a patch on a top end groupset, just feels clunky in comparison.</p>
<p>At the end of the day it all works, but top end stuff works better and makes the bike more pleasant to ride. Particularly on the road a £200 Carerra will be more than adequate for what we're all doing, we just choose nicer bikes because we can!</p>
<p>To that end, if buying now I'd be going 11 speed for sure, notwithstanding issues about wheel cross compatibility.
</p>